$300K bond in robbery of injured cop

May 30, 2009

A 22-year-old South Side man was ordered held on $300,000 bond today in connection with the theft of a 9 mm Beretta from a Chicago police officer who lay critically injured following a traffic crash Wednesday, authorities said.

Rasaan Shannon, of the 9800 block of South Morgan Street, was charged with strong arm robbery, disarming a peace officer and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, police said. Cook County Criminal Court Judge Donald Panarese ordered him held on $300,000 bond in a hearing today, the Cook County state's attorney's office said.

Officer Densey Cole II, who Police Supt. Jody Weis said today is in a medically induced coma, was unconscious in his police SUV after the accident at 98th and Halsted Streets, officials said. The crash, in which four other people also were hurt, happened about 11:45 a.m. Wednesday.

Cole is a 16-year veteran of the police force.

Today, Weis said the quick work of law enforcement officers, including the victim, helped to catch the suspect. Weis credited Cole with being able to help police, calling for backup even though he was lapsing into unconsciousness and thus getting police involved right away despite his injuries.

"If this person would do this to a man in uniform, just think what he would do to an average person," Weis said.

The officer's gun has been found, Weis said.

Cole, who was responding to a call when the crash happened, was taken in critical condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, said Quention Curtis, a spokesman for the Chicago Fire Department. He is still being treated there.

An older man and woman also were taken to Advocate Christ, and two teenagers were taken to Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

On Thursday, Cole's family issued a news release through the Police Department, thanking police officers and other Chicagoans for their support, but asking that their privacy be respected.